


Behind The Scenes I

by ForensicSpider98



Series: Love After the Fact [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, All this stress is bad for the baby., Altean Adam (Voltron), Altean Prince Lance (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Aromantic Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Balmeran Hunk (Voltron), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Galra Shiro (Voltron), Galran Prince Keith (Voltron), Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, M/M, Moral Ambiguity, Moral Dilemmas, Multi, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Olkari Pidge | Katie Holt, Post-War, it's keith. keith is the baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:54:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22823632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForensicSpider98/pseuds/ForensicSpider98
Summary: Sometimes, our favorite morally dubious attendant needs some help...Also, Galra are basically cats.
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Alfor/Coran (Voltron), Allura/Lotor/Romelle (Voltron), Haggar/Zarkon (Voltron), Hunk & Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: Love After the Fact [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1635043
Comments: 10
Kudos: 245





	Behind The Scenes I

**Author's Note:**

> This is the last bit of exposition dumping I'm gonna give you, but you're gonna get an interesting interaction to <3<3<3

Adam sighs. What an exhausting, troublesome day. He cautiously knocks on the door, balancing the covered tray in one hand. If this guy kills him, he's going to strangle the crown prince.

It opens, and there’s the captain, a good two dashes taller than Adam himself, irises a winter gray.

“Ah. Adam, right?” Adam nods. “Can I help you?”

“Um. Crown Prince Lancel asked me to ensure you ate something. I understand he told you not to eat at the banquet.” 

“More like he gave me permission not to.” The captain steps aside, smiling, ears forward. Adam swallows and enters the room with small steps. He opens the tray and sets a large plate of food on the small table by the couch in front of the fireplace.

Adam can’t resist. “Captain Sh-”

“Shiro. Please.” Shiro smiles again. That’s all he ever seems to do. Despite being about ten dashes tall and three dashes wide at the shoulders. It’s somewhat jarring, to say the least.

“Shiro. If I may... Why do you and Prince Yorak hate the food so much?”

“My species cannot taste what you refer to as ‘sweet.’ When we eat Altean food, all we get are the hints and undertones, which on their own…” the captain trails off, smiling good-naturedly. Adam notices how wide, how genuine his eyes seemed to shine.

“I imagine it’s horrible.”

“It is. No offense of course. I’m sure if ‘sweet’ meant anything to me, I’d quite like it.” Shiro chuckles. “But to me, it means nothing, and is nothing.”

“How odd,” Adam muses. “I can’t quite wrap my head around it. Sweet is to me what sour is. Or salt. Or savory. Or air. It is like saying you cannot see the color blue.”

“We see color as you do. Though our night vision is far better, I should think.”

“Does it make it hard to sleep?”

“No. Why?”

“I can’t sleep if it isn’t dark.”

“It’s a different kind of ‘light,’” Shiro says with a shrug. “It’s not like daylight is. It’s... different. I don’t know how I’d explain it.” He plucks a piece of whatever Hunk made for him and takes a bite. He must like it, because he takes another. Adam shifts, guilty. The man must be hungry. “You’re a curious one.”

“Sorry!” Adam jumps. “I didn’t meant to offend-” His panicked apology is cut off by a laugh.

“Don’t! Please, ask whatever you like. It makes a nice change after what I endured at the banquet. I just wish Crown Prince Lancel could have rescued me too. Though I’m sure Prince Yorak was grateful.” 

Adam relaxes, relieved. He’s not about to be ripped to shreds. “I’m Crown Prince Lancel’s attendant. If I am to keep up with him, I must know everything I can about everything I know of. When it comes to knowledge of your kind, I am woefully uninformed. He was not at all surprised when Lord Lanval made a comment about Prince Yorak’s gender... I was.”

“There are three genders. Binary, like yourself. And then there is a third, like Prince Yorak. They tend to have mixed characteristics which facilitate multiple or no facets of child-giving and -rearing. Prince Yorak is a gift.”

“A gift?” Adam frowns, pushing his glasses up his nose. 

Shiro nods. “Prince Yorak is capable of both siring and bearing children. He is a blessing. On Daibazaal, he would be revered, were it not for his size.” Shiro hesitates, then continues. “You say you make it your mission to assist Crown Prince Lancel in his day-to-day life and well-being?”

“Yes. That mission now extends to Prince Yorak as well.”

“Then also make note: Prince Yorak may require a trip to Daibazaal during his final growth spurt. He has a disease that can cause stunted growth. His growth plates are defective. It’s why he’s so small. During the war, he lacked access to medical treatment, so missed several growth spurts all together. It’s important that he does not miss this one, as it could cause fertility issues. Regardless of what Altea requires of him, he deserves to have a family if he wants one.”

“I will keep that in mind. I’ll keep an eye on him.” Adam pulled out his datapad, typing away. “I don’t believe the Crown Prince knows of this... I’d rather not tell him.”

“Why not?” Shiro cocks his head to the side, ears perked. Those ears have followed Adam’s every move. The Altean finds it unnerving. It makes his scales itch.

And yet... Something about the giant intrigues him. He carefully discards his caution.

“Lance is... He’s undyingly loyal. He does not love Keith, to be sure. But he will care for him, and be faithful to him, and most importantly, he will worry about him.

“He will worry about Keith being here. About him eating, sleeping, wandering around alone. Everything. I do my best to ease his worry. It’s why I try to stay one step ahead of him. I want to be good at my job, and my job is to ease his burdens.”

The Galra’s head shifts a little, ears and eyes still focused solely on him. Adam decides he finds it refreshing. He’s so rarely the center of someone’s attention.

“You say Lance is loyal.” Adam nods. He is. As loyal and dedicated as they come. “Interesting... You are quite loyal yourself, aren’t you? You believe in your prince. Genuinely.” Shiro takes a step closer, and this time Adam stands his ground, staring down that fascinated gaze. Or rather, up.

“Yes. I do.” Adam stands tall as Shiro’s stare refuses waver. The Galra looms over him. “I was born a noble. I chose to serve him. I believe in his love for his people, and in his ability to maintain peace.”

“Is it really a choice to serve him if he is your crown prince?” Shiro asks softly.

“The people of Altea have the right to refuse the rule of their kings. We have the right to rebel, to demand action or inaction. And I have the right to forsake Lance and my duties. Yet I stay, because I wish to see what he will become. And you? Why do you serve your masters?”

“I love my people. The Captain of the Guard is a servant not only to Emperor Zarkon and Empress Honerva, but to the people. I am the serving protector of my race.”

“Then we are the same,” Adam murmurs. Shiro’s left ear twitches, and Adam wonders if he struck a nerve. Those gray eyes narrow slightly, slanted pupils dilating as they zero in on his own.

“It would seem so,” Shiro murmurs, taking a step back. When had he gotten so close? He’d been less than a dash away. “I thank you for the meal. Please, if you haven't already, bring something to Keith as well. He ate even less than I did.” Adam nods. “And send Lance my thanks. He has my undying gratitude.”

“Of course.” Whether Shiro’s grateful for the food or the care Lance will bestow upon Keith, Adam isn’t sure.

Those eyes and ears follow Adam out of the room.

He’s ever so slightly shaken. Ever so slightly intrigued.

**Author's Note:**

> Next time on Love After the Fact: Keith makes a new friend!


End file.
